Pamela Williams

George Trumbull is in a white rage. “They’re yellow-bellied Australian cowards. Why didn’t they call me face to face if they wanted to complain about me. What went on was patently unfair to me. Because it says to me that if you’re a son-of-a-bitch and you propagate lies if you’re one of the establishment and you want to trash someone in this country you can do it. I’m tired of the pettiness.”

The tectonic plates have begun to realign under the kingdom of Rupert Murdoch, rife as it is with powerful generals. Yesterday a wide fissure opened at News Corp which runs all the way to the top – all the way to New York – and all the way to the succession in this dynastic empire.

In the beginning, there were two ‘computer nerds’ in a garage, and a radical online advertising idea – realestate.com.au. They sought help in powerful quarters, ultimately rocking real estate and media relationships.

Exclusive | James Packer and Fairfax chairman Roger Corbett held private talks on board Mr Packer’s superyacht last year to discuss the potential appointment of the executive deputy chairman of Crown, John Alexander, to the Fairfax board.

Santo Santoro’s growing lobbying business is thought by some to be a conflict of interest with his other role as a Liberal Party vice-president and fund-raiser, writes in the first of a two-part series.

Revealed | Allegations of irregularities in past political fund-raising by Queensland lobbyist and federal Liberal vice-president Santo Santoro have been referred to police and electoral authorities by his own party.

Attorney-General Nicola Roxon confirmed last night that she had read thousands of text messages sent by former speaker Peter Slipper before the Commonwealth brought an abuse of process claim against an aide who had accused Mr Slipper of sexual harassment.

Solicitors for the federal government viewed thousands of text messages more than four months ago that were sent by former speaker Peter Slipper, including explosive texts laced with sordid references.